Georgia Hopes Russia Will not to Restore Sukhumi Airport

(Tbilisi, August 21, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Chairman of the Georgian Civil Aviation Administration Zurab Chankotadze sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Alexander Neradko, in which he expressed hope that Russia will not rehabilitate the Sukhumi airport.

Unofficial reports say the Krasnodar District of the Russian Federation is assisting the Abkhaz side in restoring the Babushera airport near the breakaway Abkhaz capital of Sukhumi. There are also reports that the Krasnodar District is even ready to donate a plane to the Abkhaz.

?We hope that Russia?s Civil Aviation Authority will not violate the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, which implies that each sovereign state has the right to control the air space over its own territory,? the letter reads.

Director General of Abkhazia’s airline company Nodar Gerzmava denies reports about the restoration of the Babushera airport, adding that the airport needs no repair and is ready to conduct flights. The only thing prohibiting the Abkhazian airport from functioning is a decree by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Despite numerous protests by Georgian authorities, the sea and railway communications have been recently restored between Russia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia. 

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)